Breakdown of Prendile il cuscino nuovo e mettilo sul divano, per cortesia.
su
on
mettere
to put
e
and
prendere
to get
nuovo
new
il divano
the couch
lo
it
le
her
il cuscino
the cushion
per cortesia
please
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Questions & Answers about Prendile il cuscino nuovo e mettilo sul divano, per cortesia.
Why is the pronoun le attached at the end of prendi, forming prendile, instead of placed before the verb?
In Italian affirmative informal commands (imperative) you use enclitic pronouns—that is, you attach them to the end of the verb. So prendi + le (indirect‐object pronoun “to her”) becomes prendile. By contrast, in negative commands or in most other tenses, pronouns normally precede the verb (e.g. Non le prendere).
How do I know le here is an indirect‐object pronoun (“to her”) and not a direct‐object pronoun (“them”)?
A direct‐object pronoun for a masculine singular noun like cuscino would be lo (“it”), not le. And a feminine plural direct‐object pronoun le would only appear if you were taking multiple feminine objects. Since cuscino is singular masculine and you’re giving it to someone, le can only be the indirect‐object pronoun replacing a lei (“to her”).
What’s the difference between prendilo and prendile?
prendilo = “take it” (where lo is the masculine singular direct‐object pronoun).
prendile = “take (it) to her” (where le is the indirect‐object pronoun “to her”).
So you choose lo when you mean “it” directly, and le when you mean “to her.”
Why is there a double t in mettilo?
The 2nd‐person singular imperative of mettere is metti (already with two t’s). When you attach the pronoun lo, you keep the same spelling and simply add lo, giving mettilo.
Why is sul used instead of su il before divano?
Italian routinely contracts certain prepositions with the definite article. su + il = sul, su + lo = sullo, su + la = sulla, etc. This contraction is more natural and virtually mandatory in standard usage.
Why is the adjective nuovo placed after cuscino, and could it go before?
Many Italian adjectives can appear either before or after the noun, with a subtle nuance:
- il nuovo cuscino treats “new” as an inherent quality (just “the new cushion”).
- il cuscino nuovo highlights that it is the one that is new (perhaps in contrast with an old one).
Both orders are grammatically correct; the post‐noun position often adds a touch of emphasis or distinction.
What does per cortesia mean and how does it differ from per favore or per piacere?
All three expressions translate as “please.”
- per favore and per piacere are the most common in everyday, informal speech.
- per cortesia is a bit more formal or polite and is often used in customer‐service contexts or when you want to be extra courteous.
If I wanted to replace il cuscino with a pronoun as well, how would I say “Take it to her”?
You combine the indirect‐object pronoun le and the direct‐object pronoun lo into the single enclitic form prendiglielo:
Prendiglielo, per cortesia.